Artwork
Sunset on Mount Chocorua, New Hampshire
Sunset on Mount Chocorua, New Hampshire is a watercolor work on paper by the Hudson River School artist William Trost Richards. It dates from 1872 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Created in 1872 by William Trost Richards, this work is a landscape that specifically depicts Mount Chocorua in New Hampshire during sunset.
Created in 1872 by William Trost Richards, this work is a landscape that specifically depicts Mount Chocorua in New Hampshire during sunset. The composition focuses on the natural topography of the mountain set against the atmospheric conditions of dusk. Executed in watercolor, gouache, and graphite on gray-green wove paper, the piece captures the interplay of light and terrain characteristic of the artist's observational approach to nature.
The subject matter is strictly representational, documenting a specific geographic location and time of day without additional symbolic layers noted in the available records.
Technique & Style
Sunset on Mount Chocorua, New Hampshire is executed in watercolor, gouache and graphite on a gray-green wove paper support. The composition records the mountain at sunset with transparent washes of watercolor layered over opaque gouache, while graphite outlines define foreground elements. Measured at 20.6 cm in height by 36 cm in width, the piece belongs to the landscape genre and is classified within The American Wing collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Its formal qualities include a muted tonal range, subtle atmospheric perspective and a delicate balance between detailed topographic rendering and expansive sky, reflecting the artist's precision in handling the mixed media.
History & Provenance
William Trost Richards created the watercolor Sunset on Mount Chocorua, New Hampshire in 1872. The work is executed in watercolor, gouache, and graphite on gray-green wove paper. It currently resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is classified within the American Wing.
The painting depicts the titular mountain landscape at sunset and measures 20.6 cm in height by 36 cm in width.
Overview
William Trost Richards created Sunset on Mount Chocorua, New Hampshire in 1872. This watercolor landscape captures the distinctive profile of Mount Chocorua at dusk, bathed in the soft light of a setting sun. The work exemplifies Richards's detailed approach to natural scenery, presenting a serene interpretation of the New England wilderness.
Artist & collection
